Since the London attacks we have seen a substantial increase in Faith Hate Crimes reported in the UK. Islamophobic incidents to date have included some of the following:
- Arson,
- Bomb hoaxes,
- Criminal,
- Damage/Graffiti,
- Assault,
- Abuse/Threats
The Muslim Safety Forum, an umbrella group of Muslim organisations, has been working closely with the police and monitoring the levels of attacks and other Islamophobic incedents. We would like to join their calls for calm and continual vigilance. We also want to continue to encourage members of the community to report Islamophobic incidents and avoid confrontations wherever possible.
What you should do:
- Form local safety committees involving young people, all the mosques, councillors and the local police. - Think about additional security measures for Mosques, homes and Islamic centres. - Speak to your local police crime prevention office.
- Talk to the more vulnerable sections of your community.
- In the event of being stopped by police please cooperate -follow instructions especially if plain-clothed officers shout even if you are in a crowd and are not sure who they are directed at. (always ask for ID).
- Travel in groups, especially those who dress more traditionally/religiously (i.e. brothers who support a beard and Sisters who where Hijab). Consider locking the doors of cars when travelling.
Let us send a clear message to all communities, that we refuse to be victims of Islamaphobic crime.
The clear messages to the media are:
- Communities cannot be held responsible for an individual�s criminal act.
- Innocent Muslims were killed in attacks, targeted by backlash, and blamed for attacks. We refuse to be victimised.
- We, as other communities, can only speculate as to why the incident occurred.
- Irresponsible reporting of the attacks has a direct impact on the safety of all communities, and will divert police resources.
Contact the Muslim Safety Forum on (Tahir Butt) 07792 507856 or info@muslimsafetyforum.org or The Revival if you require assistance in setting up local safety committees or other info.
List of local police stations:
http://www.met.police.uk/local
Telephone Reporting
Some police stations have telephone reporting systems in place during office hours, please ask if appropriate.
In addition, you can use 3rd party reporting facilities such as the Muslim Line. Call them on: 020 8 840 4 840
Online Internet reporting of Hate Crime - for non urgent scenarios. https://www.online.police.uk/secure/english/notifier_status.asp (This method of reporting can save a few hours attending local police station)
Hate text messages on mobile phones.
Please leave messages in "inbox" do not delete or save elsewhere. Any spitting incidents. Please retain clothing with saliva samples for police forensic examination.
More Crime Prevention / Community Safety Advice, and other useful links:
http://www.met.police.uk/crimeprevention/business.htm
http://www.online.police.uk/english/useful_sites.asp
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime/preventionadvice/
http://www.crimereduction.gov.uk/cp_index.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/crime/prevention/index.shtml
"Anyone who has killed another person it is as if he has killed the whole of mankind and anyone who saves one life, it is as if he has saved the whole of mankind". (Chapter 5, verse 32)